Early Steelers Fantasy Football Targets

The Mike McCarthy era in Pittsburgh has arrived and the new Steelers head coach has begun a roster revamp with hopes of getting the franchise it’s first playoff win since the 2016 season.

McCarthy’s offense also brings with it a renewed sense of optimism among fantasy football owners. New receivers along with additions to the backfield and tight ends group, with the coach’s West Coast philosophy, should bolster individual outputs for some surprise Steel City fantasy sleepers.

At the moment these players will likely be undervalued in most drafts, which gives Steelers fans who dabble in the fantasy game a chance to stack their rosters. So put on your Steelers hooded sweatshirt from USportsGear and prepare for those draft nights with these names to watch before the rest of your league wakes up.

Jaylen Warren

In his first season without sharing time with Najee Harris, Warren exploded onto the scene. While much of the fantasy attention went to the now departed team MVP Kenneth Gainwell, Warren’s output was also solid over the course of a season.

Warren nearly hit 1,000 yards rushing even within the time share, averaging 4.5 yards-per-carry on his way to 958 yards and six touchdowns. He also added another 40 receptions for 333 yards and two scores, notable for fantasy players within a PPR or half-point format.

Warren’s 251 touches were his most in his four-year stint with the Steelers and nothing would suggest his time gets limited barring any injury setbacks. In Dallas, Mike McCarthy transformed Rico Dowdle into a 1,373 yard back in 2024. There’s no reason to believe Warren can’t do the same and he should be viewed as a solid RB2 in most formats.

Rico Dowdle

Given what was said above about Dowdle, he should be an instant handcuff to Warren when the opportunity presents itself.

The doorway that led to Kenneth Gainwell’s fantasy ascent was opened in Week 4 of last season, following Warren being a game day inactive. The same could happen again with Dowdle in 2026, especially if the Steelers quarterback situation remains unsettled. One would surmise the team will lean heavily on the run game, and Dowdle, who has had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, is a prime candidate to share the load with Warren.

That could make for a headache for owner if this becomes a committee approach. That happened with New England last season, however, owning either of the Patriots backs proved to be a fruitful venture.

Dowdle can also carry the burden alone in the pass game, as he’s caught 78 passes for 546 yards and four touchdowns over the last two seasons. His six touchdowns with Carolina last season matched that of Warren’s output, giving either prime opportunities in the red zone.

Pat Freiermuth

All but forgotten many times over last season, analysts were firmly placing Pat as one of their fantasy sleepers in 2025 only to see the prediction fall flat.

A bounce back season for Freiermuth seems likely in 2026, and he could eat in McCarthy’s system, especially with other receiving options. Of course, that all comes down to who the quarterback is: and even if the Steelers were to roll with young, inexperienced options like Will Howard or Drew Allar, those new passers “best friends” are typically tight ends.

The thing to remember about Freiermuth is, tight ends shouldn’t be overvalued for fantasy purposes. Aside from a scant few, you’re likely looking for a rotation or depth options. That’s where Freiermuth fits the bill.

Freiermuth’s 2024 season saw him catch 65 passes for 653 yards and 7 touchdowns, but he regressed in 2025 with 41 receptions for 486 yards and 4 touchdowns. One of the reasons for that regression was the Steelers trade for Jonnu Smith, who is no longer on the team and now an afterthought.

The large, hulking Darnell Washington will likely get some looks in McCarthy’s offense too. Washington is primarily used as a blocker than a receiver, the inverse of Freiermuth, which means you should target Pat and not Darnell if you’re chasing fantasy points.

Michael Pittman Jr.

Pittman was explosive in Indianapolis last season, even with catching passes from multiple quarterbacks after Daniel Jones was injured.

He had 80 catches for 784 yards and seven touchdowns, a figure most Steelers fans would’ve died to have as a WR2 on the field. That’s where you should be looking with your fantasy team as well.

Despite the presence of D.K. Metcalf and Pittsburgh’s second round selection of Germie Bernard, Pittman should still carve out his own niche. The knock on Pittman is that his yards-per-reception numbers cap his upside.

That’s a valid concern. However in PPR formats, what we have here is a source of production that doubles the target volume from a successful receiver. He is a WR3 that finishes as a WR2 so target him in the mid rounds.

The Big Picture

The fantasy market is slow. Players are priced based on what has happened, and not what is about to happen. The offensive overhaul McCarthy is leading in Pittsburgh is one of the biggest scheme changes of the 2026 offseason, and as the season comes closer, that ADP will take time to catch up.

Warren, Freiermuth and Pittman all have legit value at their respective costs. Dowdle is a dart throws with plenty of upside and handcuff value. They may define the type of market inefficiency that separates good fantasy managers from the great ones.